Once, he was sure, she had liked him a little⁠—in the end he could have won her; she would have relieved him of this loneliness⁠—this loneliness in an empty house with the hateful whining at the windows; but something devilish and unknown had got in the way.⁠ ⁠… And if it was Stephen, and Stephen’s lies.⁠ ⁠… God! He would go to Muriel, he would go to Stephen; he would have it out of them, he would go now⁠—